Boston Road Reconstruction Project resumes

WESTFORD CENTER — Work on the Boston Road Reconstruction Project officially resumes this month, corresponding to the start of the spring construction season on April 1.

The $15.6 million reconstruction project, which is being managed and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in partnership with the Town of Westford, is aimed largely at correcting long-standing drainage problems alongBoston Road.

Work on busy roadway  is set to take place on weekdays, roughly between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with alternating traffic in effect during those hours and the potential for full detours later in the summer.

Westford Town Engineer Paul Starratt gave an update on the reconstruction project to the Select Board last month.

Starratt said construction crews installed an 18-inch pipe beneath the roadway during the previous construction phase last fall and will add numerous catch basins when work officially resumes on the project this month. The improvements are intended to collect and redirect runoff through underground systems, eliminating the current erosion and water flow issues along the corridor.

“So the project is on-schedule, and as you saw, they were working out there in the underdrain on the side of the road with the one lane arrangement through the winter, through all but the heaviest snow,” Starratt said.

Starratt added that he expects more intensive work to begin this month, including the installation of a new water main. Transportation officials, contractors and police will determine whether traffic detours are necessary on a day-by-day basis, but Starratt anticipates detours will likely be in place through much of the summer.

“They’ll begin their detour work starting in April, if that is the arrangement that is the best decision made by the Westford Police Department, in cooperation with MassDOT and the contractor,” Starratt said. “That’s a day-to-day decision. If they can avoid the detour, they will, but for the most part, they’re going to be going down the road with their water main and I anticipate that it will be detoured for a good portion of this summer.”

Although he acknowledged that construction has caused disruptions for commuters and residents, Starratt said such impacts are unavoidable during major road projects, adding that contractors have worked closely with town departments, police and nearby property owners to address concerns and maintain communication.

Starratt said the project is targeted to be substantially complete by Nov. 15 which is the end of the fall 2026 construction season. Contractors will then return the following spring to complete minor finishing work and cleanup.

“We’re hopeful that at the end of this forthcoming construction season, which is technically Nov. 15, to be substantially complete with the project,” Starratt said. “Then they’ll come back the following construction season and complete little punch list items and little clean-up things to finish out the project, which technically, is ‘the biggest jinx’ ever to put on the project by just saying that.”